If the panels are being collected today, payment can be made by cash/EFTPOS at the time of collection.
We do not have Visa payWave or Afterpay facilities.

Pick ups are made from 26 Business Parade North, Highbrook, Auckland 2013 between 8:00am to 4:30pm.

*Please note that for collection, these panels are not packed or strapped.

There are some potential risks which need to be understood. This understanding is essential for selecting the correct panel and the right coating.

The main issue when using plywood in exposed outdoor situations is surface checking. This is caused by stress in the face veneers through expansion and contraction. It appears as small splits in the face veneer which can in some instances deteriorate rapidly. Surface checking is common with plywood left exposed to the elements regardless of the timber specie or treatment.

Plywood used for exterior cladding has a ‘bandsawn’ finish. This has two advantages over smooth faced plywood. The textured finish changes the expansion and contraction dynamic reducing the risk of surface checking. The textured surface also holds more coating increasing the protection offered and potentially the time between recoating.

Smooth face plywood can sometimes be used in sheltered exterior applications. One common example is soffit linings. Often the decorative plywood ceiling lining is continued outside to the soffit. Here panels should be manufactured with exterior ‘A bond’ glues. Most importantly is the coating selection, application and maintenance. This is critical to the performance of the panel. Along with the risk of surface checking is also the possibility of water staining within the veneer. This staining will be obvious where clearcoats are used. To help reduce this we recommend coating the face, back and edges with an exterior coating. The coating on the face must be maintained and recoated within the time recommended by the coating manufacturer. The home owner needs to be aware of this as recoating must be done before the original coating starts to show signs of breaking down. Consider accessibility for maintenance at the design stage. If access is difficult, it would be worth considering alternative materials such as Trespa® Meteon®

A common request is recommendations for plywood panels for outdoor kitchens. This isn’t always followed with a straight forward answer. Some outdoor kitchens are fully exposed and some are so well protected they’re almost inside. Most panels available in New Zealand are intended for interior use only. Aside from rain, hail and snow outdoor kitchens are also subjected to larger temperature variations than those inside. This can result in panels twisting or warping. Consideration should also be given to the additional UV rays the panels will be exposed to. Assess the situation and understand the limitations. Sometimes it might be better to consult an outdoor kitchen professional such as Love Kitchens

In summary the real challenge with using any timber panel outside is keeping water/moisture out of the wood fibres. The coatings selection, application and maintenance is absolutely critical to the longevity of panels.

Selecting a coating to achieve the desired finish for your plywood will depend on a number of factors. Primarily the plywood’s reaction to the coating, application equipment to be used and the environment it is to be coated in.

With lighter timbers such as Poplar and Hoop Pine it is recommended to avoid oil finishes. The best results are typically achieved with water-based clearcoats as they sit more on top of the veneer having less impact on the colour of the timber.

Darker timbers like Gaboon and Meranti on the other hand can be coated with solvent-based clearcoats or oil finishes. These coating options can bring out the natural colours and grain of the timber.

Birch timber can be coated with water-based clearcoat or natural oil, while natural oils are also ideal for coating Walnut and Oak.

Exterior coatings – in higher UV areas such as soffits it’s essential to use exterior coatings. This is because interior coatings will break down rapidly exposing the timbers face veneer to moisture.

Use this as a guide only. It is recommended to test coatings prior to committing to the system.

The plywood panels must be thoroughly clean, dry and free from wax, oil, grease and other contaminants. To achieve the best results the panels should receive a light sand to remove contaminates prior to coating. Sharp edges should also be rounded. This is a good time to thoroughly inspect the ply as any visible defects may show through to the final coated finish.

Do not rely on the coating to hide substrate defects. Good preparation is the key to a flawless finish.

For uncoated panels, their suitability and durability for different applications depend on the finishing applied. A coating specialist will be able to help with recommendations on this:

• Dryden – www.dryden.co.nz
• Dulux – www.dulux.co.nz
• Mirotone Wood Finishing Specialists – www.mirotone.com
• Natural House Company– https://www.naturalhouse.co.nz/
• Natural Paint Co.– https://www.naturalpaint.co.nz/
• Osmo Oils – www.osmo.co.nz
• Resene – www.resene.co.nz
• Uroxsys Marine Coatings – http://www.uroxsys.co.nz/marine.htm

We have a selection of Osmo oil products available for sale in our showroom. For intumescent coating we recommend contacting Mirotone.

Our panels are sold as full-sized sheets. For them to be cut to size, we recommend contacting a Contract Cutting service who specialise in this and may be able to help.

• Cutting Innovations – www.ciprojects.co.nz
• Creative Cam – www.creativecam.co.nz
• Composite Solutions – www.compositesolutions.co.nz
• Cutshop – www.cutshop.com

Marine BS1088 – AB grade both sides = clean veneer no defects except for very occasional very small filled end splits.

Marine Bonded – B grade face = clean veneer with occasional minor repairs such as small filled splits. BB grade back = sound veneer with repaired defects such as filled splits, filled worm holes, some rough grain, occasional veneer patch repairs neatly fitted.

Marine BS1088 – Selected sound BC grade core veneers with no internal defects. No edge or end gaps, splits or voids, although the specification does allow one small core gap per edge.

Marine Bonded – Mixed CC grade core veneers allowing small open defects internally. Edges can show core gaps, usually not wider than 3mm.

Marine BS1088 – Sheets in a given specie must be made using the samespecie throughout all veneers.

Marine Bonded – Mixed species allowed – Hoop Pine is same specie throughout but others can have core veneers different from nominated face specie.

Marine BS1088 – Production restricted to highest quality, high strength species – Gaboon is the exception due to its lightweight characteristic being desirable in certain cases.

Marine Bonded – Any specie suitable for plywood production allowed.

Marine BS1088 – Ideally durable hardwoods such as Meranti are used but there is no restriction on using high quality non durable species such as Hoop Pine, which is desirable as it is a tight grain, high strength renewable resource plantation specie, Gaboon as its lightweight characteristic is desirable, or Kauri for its finishing qualities.

Marine Bonded – Any specie suitable for plywood production allowed.

Marine BS1088 – Marine phenolic formaldehyde resin, must pass a 72 hour boil test. Commonly known as WBP (weather boil proof) or “A” bond.

Marine Bonded – Same as BS1088

Marine BS1088 – Must be stamped by the manufacturer showing: Brand Name, Country of Production, Thickness, Grade – BS 1088, Bonding – WBP

Marine Bonded – No requirement but usually shows brand name and bonding, WBP.

For fixing and installation details, we recommended contacting a specialist who may be able to help.

Fastmount – A well thought out clip system with great tools to assist.www.fastmount.com
Soudal – Offers a great range of adhesives. soudal.co.nz
Exterior Cladding – Standard details for Pinetech Cladding downmloads. plytech.co.nz/cladding-details

Check out www.plytech.co.nz/fixing for instructional videos and resources.

Meranti – Even medium/coarse texture slightly grainy lustrous surface.

Gaboon – Smooth/medium texture surface.

Meranti – Hardwood

Gaboon – Hardwood

Meranti – Varies from pale pink to dark brown.

Gaboon – Salmon pink to pinkish brown.

Meranti – 480kg/m3

Gaboon – 430kg/m3

Meranti – Very economic excellent production using selected high grade Meranti logs. High strength, light to medium weight, low resin absorption but high grain fill level. Machines, glues and works well – sawn ends can be fibrous.

Gaboon – The lightest weight ply on the market, but this low density means lower strength, requiring careful design. Machines and finishes well – medium grain fill level. Very well made by Joubert Plywood, Europe’s top producer.

Meranti – Moderately durable to durable

Gaboon – Non durable

Note: Marine plywoods are not required to be naturally durable. Good boatbuilding practice of thorough sealing with preservative compounds, paints or resins is normal.

Meranti – F14 – F17

Gaboon – F8

Note: Comparative measure of stiff ness and strength, tested by Forest Research Institute.